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Adhikari slammed Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi for allegedly objecting to the full version of the Vande Mataram, calling it an insult to nationalism.
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari. (PTI File)
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Congress over an alleged incident involving the ‘Vande Mataram’ song during the party’s Independence Day event at the AICC headquarters on August 15, claiming it had angered the state.
Adhikari criticised Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi for allegedly objecting to the full version of the Vande Mataram, calling it an insult to nationalism and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. He said the entire state was “fuming” over the incident, claiming that Congress was trying to satisfy a particular vote bank.
“The people of West Bengal regard Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay as the “Sahitya Samrat” (Emperor of Literature), and he was the author of Vande Mataram. Although many people may try to defend the Congress leadership in different ways, there is no justification for what happened,” Adhikari said.
Adhikari said Vande Mataram was a source of inspiration for those who fought for India’s freedom and remains an invaluable symbol of the country’s struggle for independence. He also informed that Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s family has written a letter to Sonia Gandhi, demanding an explanation.
“On behalf of the people of West Bengal, I condemn those who have insulted patriotism, love for the nation, Vande Mataram and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. We condemn those who have insulted Vande Mataram and hope that they will offer an unconditional apology,” he said.
What Happened At AICC Headquarters?
The Congress Party drew criticism after a video purportedly showed Sonia Gandhi objecting to the singing of the full version of ‘Vande Mataram’ during the party’s Independence Day event on Saturday.
The BJP accused the Congress of showing disrespect to the national song, which is deeply associated with India’s freedom movement. BJP leader Vikas Puttur on Sunday filed a complaint against Sonia Gandhi over the incident.
“Look at their (Congress’s) shamelessness. The anthem Vande Mataram was being sung at the Congress Party headquarters. During the anthem, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi told the Congress President to stop singing,” said Union Home Minister Amit Shah at an event in Rajasthan.
However, the Congress clarified that Sonia Gandhi’s actions had nothing to do with the national song. It said there was movement in the background and that Gandhi was trying to ensure that a chair was arranged for party president Mallikarjun Kharge, who is elderly and had been standing for a long time.
Key Questions Answered
Ask News18Sonia Gandhi allegedly objected to the full rendition of “Vande Mataram” during Independence Day celebrations at the Congress headquarters. This action was criticised as an insult to nationalism and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Ask News18About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int…Read More
August 16, 2026, 15:31 IST
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